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Another COVID-19 death in Sudbury, Timmins hospital dealing with an outbreak

The Porcupine Health Unit and the Timmins and District Hospital declared a COVID-19 outbreak at TADH after seven patients have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. (File) The Porcupine Health Unit and the Timmins and District Hospital declared a COVID-19 outbreak at TADH after seven patients have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. (File)
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Another person has died from COVID-19, Public Health Sudbury & Districts said Friday, marking the fourth pandemic-related fatality announced in the area this week.

The health unit also added another 187 cases, bringing the area to 1,257 active cases, by far the highest in northeastern Ontario. Even those numbers are underestimates of actual case numbers, with health units across the north warning that limits on COVID-19 testing mean there are many more cases that have not been diagnosed.

On the positive side, the number of people with COVID-19 in hospital eased slightly, with 27 patients at Health Sciences North with the disease (two fewer than Thursday) and five people who tested positive in the past (down by four).

Also Friday, the Porcupine Health Unit and the Timmins and District Hospital declared a COVID-19 outbreak at TADH after seven patients have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

“The ongoing pandemic measures ensure we are ready to quickly respond to any changes required as a result of COVID-19,” hospital CEO Kate Fyfe said in a news release.

“I want to reassure the public that our focus remains on doing everything we can to ensure the continued safety of our patients, staff and physicians. COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly in our community and it’s extremely important that we take every measure to protect ourselves and our loved ones. This isn’t the start to the New Year we wanted, but together we will get through it.”

As a result of the outbreak, the hospital is imposing much tighter restrictions on visitors. Only care partners who qualify for an exemption will be allowed in the hospital. And they must be fully vaccinated and provide proof they have taken a rapid antigen test that day, and that it has come back negative.

Rapid Antigen testing for visitors who qualify will be available through the COVID-19 Assessment Clinic. Hours of operation can be found here.

"We realize that this decision is difficult; however it has been made with an abundance of caution," the hospital said.

"We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation within the community and provide updates to the community."

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